Cuddles, Scrabble, and the Flu
by LostInLibraries
Summary: Poor Alec isn't feeling well. Magnus helps. OR Alec is sick and cranky, and Magnus is caring and patient./ Literally 1.2k words of pure fluff.


**I had a few requests to do a second chapter on the other Malec sickfic I wrote, but instead I just came up with a** **completely new one. Lol, enjoy!**

* * *

Magnus hated seeing Alec sick, albeit how adorable he was when he was wrapped up in multiple blankets on the couch, seeking cuddles from Magnus or Chairman Meow or both. But he really hated seeing Alec miserable and cranky, as he always was when he was under the weather. Poor Alec had been down with a bad cold- or maybe the flu, Magnus wasn't quite sure- for two days now, coughing his head off and sneezing up a storm. He had been achy and running a high fever on top of all that, which was really just the icing on the cake.

Alec moped his way into the kitchen while Magnus was making breakfast, dropping down onto a stool and resting his head on the granite countertop with a groan. With his flushed face, reddish nose, and puffy eyes, he really didn't look well.

"You're alive," Magnus said, in mock surprise. Alec just answered with another groan. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I don't know." He sighed, muffling a cough with the sleeve of his sweater. "My headache is a little better but I still feel awful. Why do I still feel awful?"

"Healing takes time." said Magnus, putting a few pieces of bread into the toaster. "The flu is nothing to sneeze at."

Alec slowly lifted his head off of the counter and narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend. "That wasn't funny."

Magnus just smiled, putting the toast and some of the eggs he'd prepared onto a plate. "I need you to try and eat some breakfast. Would you like some tea or juice?"

"Coffee," Alec said.

"You're not having coffee. It's bad for sick people." Magnus snapped his fingers and a cup of tea appeared in front of Alec.

"I'm not drinking stolen tea." The shadowhunter grumbled. "And I'm not hungry."

"Just one piece of toast," Magnus said patiently. "And I'll send money for the tea, so it isn't technically stolen. Just drink it."

Still giving him a grouchy look, Alec bit into the toast.

* * *

"Under the tongue." Magnus instructed, handing the thermometer to Alec, who was laying in bed, stroking the cat, who was curled up by his side. After a few seconds, he looked at the reading and frowned. "You still have a fever, but it's gone down a little. How do you feel, Alexander?"

Alec coughed, then sniffled thickly. "Terrible. Pass me a tissue?"

Magnus pulled a couple tissues from the box on the nightstand, then handed them to his boyfriend, who proceeded to blow his nose wetly. Tossing the soggy tissues into the trash can beside the bed, Alec groaned, "I hate being sick."

"Would you feel better if I cuddled with you?"

Alec brightened considerably. "Under the covers."

Magnus climbed into bed, and immediately had Alec's arms around him, the sick shadowhunter laying facedown with his head on Magnus' chest. Chairman Meow stood up and gingerly placed his paw on Alec's shoulder, then curled up on his back, only to move in a huff when Alec started sneezing. Magnus handed him a tissue, which he accepted, his nose adorably wrinkled in anticipation of another sneeze.

"You look really handsome today, by the way." Alec murmured, wriggling his body further under the covers as he shivered.

"So do you." Magnus replied, stroking Alec's hair. His dark hair was endearingly messy, and his fever bright blue eyes were luminous.

"I look like someone who's stuck in bed with the flu." Alec coughed, then, finding that he couldn't stop, croaked, "Water..."

With a snap of his fingers, Magnus had a glass of water, which he brought to Alec's lips. "Poor thing."

Sniffling, Alec reached for a tissue to blow his nose. "Ugh. I feel terrible." He took another sip of the water and winced.

"Sore throat?"

He nodded, giving a rattly little cough into his fist. "Why do I feel so terrible?"

"The flu does have that effect." Magnus brushed Alec's hair off of his forehead. "Do you feel up to playing a board game? Or we can watch a movie or I can read to you."

"Sure." Alec sniffled. "We could finish the game of scrabble from yesterday."

* * *

Magnus had gotten Alec settled in the living room, wrapped up in the big comforter from their bed, with tissues sitting on the coffee table, right next to the scrabble board, and the two were sitting on the floor, Alec leaning up against the couch and Magnus sitting opposite him.

"Demonic languages don't count!" Alec exclaimed hoarsely, laughing, which soon became a cough.

" _You_ were spelling words in latin, it's the same thing." Magnus protested.

"Not really. Latin is-" he was cut off with a sneeze so forceful that it scattered the tiles on the board.

"I guess we have to start over," Magnus chuckled as Alec wiped his nose with a tissue. "Perfect time for a rule change."

After some time, Alec started yawning.

"How are you feeling, Alexander?" Magnus asked softly.

"A little better, actually." He yawned again.

"Do you feel like going back to sleep?"

Alec nodded, and Magnus helped him stand up and led him back to bed, kissing his forehead as he tucked the comforter around him.

* * *

Magnus was in his study, poring over a book of ancient spells when he felt Alec come up from behind and hug him, his head resting on Magnus' shoulder.

"Well, you slept all afternoon." Magnus remarked with a smile.

"Really? What time is it?" Alec croaked.

"Almost six. You were asleep for four hours." said Magnus. "Did scrabble wear you out that much?"

Alec chuckled, which sounded more like a cough. "I feel better. Not one hundred percent, but better."

"Good." the warlock stood up and kissed Alec's cheek, then put the back of his hand to his forehead. "You still have a slight fever, but it went down. That's a good sign."

"Yeah. I don't feel so dizzy and achy anymore." Alec sniffled. "My throat is still really sore, though."

"I can warm up some soup, if you're hungry." Magnus offered. "Go to the couch, we can watch a movie. After that, well, you are in desperate need of a shower."

Alec rolled his eyes, then curled up on the couch. Magnus joined him a few minutes later with a bowl of soup for each of them.

"I love you," Alec said suddenly, hoarsely and around a mouthful of soup. His hair was sticking up every which way, his nose and cheeks were a delicate shade of pink, and his eyes were red and puffy, but Magnus found him even more endearing in this state. "So much. Thanks for taking care of me. I know I can be insufferable when I don't feel well."

"Not insufferable. Just really cranky." Magnus grinned, feeling affection swell in his chest. "I love you too."

"I'm not gonna kiss you because I'm sick," Alec coughed. "But I totally would, if I wasn't contagious." Alec rested his head on Magnus' shoulder with a sniffle.

"Go take a quick shower, then we can cuddle all you want." Magnus said.

After a shower, Alec changed into his warmest pajamas, threw on his softest sweater, and let Magnus towel dry his hair before crawling into bed with a yawn and a few coughs.

"You look much better than you did this morning," Magnus noted.

"Feel better." Alec buried his face in Magnus' chest. "Do you think I'll be able to go back to the Institute tomorrow?"

"Let's see how you feel in the morning." Magnus began stroking Alec's hair, which was soft, having been freshly washed.

"Yeah." the shadowhunter coughed. "Still coughing." He gave a sleepy little yawn, and then fell asleep in record time.

* * *

 **Alec is my baby and needs to be protected at all costs.**


End file.
